


Full Responsibility

by Aurelius_Carlan



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Post-Game(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-05
Updated: 2018-10-05
Packaged: 2019-07-25 19:18:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,240
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16203968
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aurelius_Carlan/pseuds/Aurelius_Carlan
Summary: Ren didn't like courthouses. Lots of bad memories involved there. The suit he wore that made him look more respectable itched. His hair, combed and tamed to look more law abidingfelt alien on his head. Even the last time when he had been in one of these, when his innocence was proven thanks to the help of his friends, could not quite remove the bitter taste this place left. Trials weren't the only bad memory in this place. Memories of slot machines noises rose unbidden.





	Full Responsibility

Ren didn't like courthouses. Lots of bad memories involved there. The suit he wore that made him look more respectable itched. His hair, combed and tamed to look more law abiding felt alien on his head. Even the last time when he had been in one of these, when his innocence was proven thanks to the help of his friends, could not quite remove the bitter taste this place left. Trials weren't the only bad memory in this place. Memories of slot machines noises rose unbidden.

He was in a side room, looking at the clock, taking deep breaths. The voices from the courtroom itself were muffled. He mentally went over what he'd say. He'd get one chance at this, one chance to get it right. Chances looked good, Sae had told him, but he couldn't help but think of a wheel spinning. She couldn't help him now anyway.

The door opened. The bailiff spoke. “Amamiya-san. If you would...” his voice had an unfriendly edge. Unsurprising. He nodded and stood taking cool and measured steps to the door, reaching to push up glasses he wasn't wearing any more.

When he entered the courtroom, the people fell silent. He looked towards the judge first, giving a respectful short bow, as was proper, then walked to his designated spot. His eyes then went over the crowd, finding friendly eyes.

His fellow Thieves were there of course. Ryuji looking more uncomfortable than Ren felt in a suit, his hair blonde but combed down. His mother sitting beside him, putting a soothing hand on his shoulder. His face had an angry scowl. Next to him Ann was not one bit less angry, ignoring her own parents' attempt to comfort her from behind. Makoto looked grim but composed, if you didn't gaze too much at her clenched fists. Yusuke's tall form looked graceful, but his look was intense, as if committing every detail to memory. Haru tried an encouraging smile when he came in, but her eyes were murder. Her hand petted Morgana, for her sake more than his. His blue eyes met his, black fur was bristled and the tail moved angrily back and forth behind him. Futaba closed out the Thieves, muttering with red rimmed eyes, calmed by Sojiro rubbing her head. As Ren's eyes met him, he gave a grim nod.

They weren't the only ones there. Ohya was sitting among the journalists, her eyes focused on him as she wrote furiously on her notepad. Lala Escargot sat in the back, her usual easy smile nowhere to be seen. Mifune was giving him an encouraging smile, but her eyes shone with tears. Iwai was chewing furiously on a lollipop stick, and holding Kaoru's hand tight. Shiho and Mishima were sitting in front of the Thieves, Shiho now and then reaching back with her hand for Ann to grip painfully tight. Mishima was trying to prevent Ren from seeing he was crying. Kawakami was comforting him, but briefly looked at Ren and gave him a determined nod. Hifumi looked distant, her eyes a bit late in seeing him, lips trembling a bit. 

There were some absences, but Ren knew they were there. He'd told Shinya that he knew he backed him up, but this was not a level he should be in. Toranosuke had been willing, but warned that his presence might politicize the going ons, and work against Ren. Ren had agreed. Tae-sensei and Sae-san would be here later.

And of course, his parents. Mom, crying against his father's shoulder, forcing enough composure to catch his eyes. Dad, his face pale, his lips tight, one hand absent-mindedly patting her shoulder, ready to cry or roar.

They were all on his side. They'd always been. Ren felt his throat clench.

He took the witness stand, but asked for water before taking his oath. And he spoke of the events of november 20th.

Back when he was released, he'd found that the Tokyo Police force held a powerful grudge against him. Initially, he'd thought that it was simple pettiness. He had made a fool of them, and despite all their efforts, now walked away a free man. But they had other reasons.

When Yaldabaoth's influence ended, the Liberal Co-prosperity Party, Shido's old party and the party that had delivered the Prime minister for decades, suddenly found themselves with the power that they had lost being fumbled back into their hands. With Ren's testimony, the United Future Party's conspiracy was laid bare. The paranormal details weren't the most important. What was important that a lot of people had been killed by this conspiracy, and its influence ran deep.

Old men who had once ran the country, now ran it once more. (Toranosuke was a player now, but not yet at the top) At first they were confused, then they were relieved. And then they realized what happened, and they got very, very angry. 

Ryuji had scoffed, saying they were rotten adults that were angry someone had taken the power from them.

Makoto had insisted that while many politicians' motivations might be selfish, even they would be horrified by the bloody impact of the conspiracy.

Haru figured that the reason was more personal. The highest level of politics is a close-knit circle, and many people in power had lost friends to mental shutdowns or the consequences of psychotic breakdown.

All three of them were likely true. For whatever reason, several business stock soon tanked, several political careers were cut short. But special attention was given to the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department and the Special Investigations Unit. They had always been given a relatively free hand since their cleaning up of Shinjuku. Cases against police officers were nearly unheard of, and politicians eagerly praised the guardians of law and order.

But the guard dogs had bitten the hand that fed.

All of a sudden, words like 'cracking down on police brutality', 'Holding lawless policemen to account' and 'protection of citizen's right, even while accused', normally spoken by 'radicals', were bandied about among serious, important old men in the diet building.

And that is why the police had been intimidating them. They were worried. Worried about this.

Worried of Ren being asked if he saw the person who led the interrogation in this room, and of his finger pointing without hesitation to the man in the defendant's seat. 

Looking trapped and nervous and resentful at that finger, he looked like a very different man than the one in that cold room that November day. But Ren would recognize those eyes anywhere. He made himself look in them for several seconds. Trying to see remorse, an apology, regret? But no, nobody had come to steal a heart here. He just gave a stony glare back.

And so, Ren looked back towards the public prosecutor. He had been told that glaring at the defendant made one seem a less reliable witness. 

As he gave a detailed account of every punch, every kick, every injection, every choke hold, he tried not to pay attention to the sounds from the gallery. He tried to keep his voice steady, only now and then stopping to take a drink of water. Only at the end of the interrogation did he look back on him.

“And then, he told me, they would make me understand...” And for a split second, it was Joker looking at the man. 

“...one must take full responsibility for their actions.”

**Author's Note:**

> Yeah... anyone's got issues with this guy getting away with his shit in the end? Let's imagine a better world where he gets what's coming to him.


End file.
